Village News - Pakenham Windmill

Pakenham Windmill (Church News June 2000)

The big news in Pakenham last month was the completion of the refurbishment of Pakenham Windmill. On 9th and 10th May the great sails were bolted on again, repaired, painted and gleaming white in the sunshine for all to see for miles around, although not readily from Pakenham village itself!

The refurbishment and completion has been a tremendous piece of organisational skill coupled with good old Suffolk know how from the “Friends of Pakenham Windmill”. The “Friends” are a management committee set up to oversee the good housekeeping and running of the Windmill as required by National Lottery Heritage led, of course, by the “old Fox” himself, Mr. Michael Bryant.

Special thanks must go to Peter And John Bryant for their work with metal and timber, without their skills and knowledge the job would have been all the poorer. Started three years ago by R. Thompson and Sons of Alford, Lincolnshire and boosted by a Heritage award of £48,000 the project has gone steadily ahead, finishing on the eve of National Mill Day, a well planned achievement in itself.

The overall cost of the project was £60,000 so a balance of £12,000 had to be found. This has largely been achieved by the “Friends of Pakenham Windmill” through grants etc., and the £550 made on Mills Day certainly helped. We thank the “Friends” very much for restoring to Pakenham one of its most striking buildings. Congratulations.